Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanishia Neal.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I am Tanishia, a Multi-State Registered Nurse with over 17 years of experience and a Certified Integrative Health and Wellness Coach. I have specialties in Emergency Medicine, Trauma care, Chronic Disease Care and Management, Nutritional well-being services, and Behavioral Health. I have witnessed firsthand how health issues affect people’s lives and well-being. That is why I am passionate about helping others achieve their optimal health and wellness goals. But, I had to first start with healing myself. I suffered from many gut issues, allergies, and anxiety. I took many meds and had a few surgical procedures that only gave me temporary relief and still left me with symptoms. I decided to take control of my health care and look for the root cause of my health issues. I returned to school and specialized in functional medicine, holistic care, and health coaching. When I began, it was to heal myself. But, when I started getting my results, this gave me a whole new perspective on practicing medicine. I decided to become a Certified Health and Wellness Coach because I wanted to help others like myself who were struggling to achieve healthier well-being.
As a registered nurse taking this non-traditional path for my career, it has been challenging. But, I am committed, and I feel so fulfilled when I can help my patients/clients find the root cause of their issues, work through them, and see the long-lasting behavioral changes and gross improvements in their lives. My calling is to help others, and I now have the complete tools to do so by practicing integrative medicine. While doing all the above, I also take care of my 4 children, am a wife to my husband of 15 years, and playing lots of tennis!
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My transition from working 12 hours in a busy Trauma Level 1 Emergency Room hasn’t been easy. But, I welcomed the calm. I was so stressed and inflamed while working crazy hours for many years that my body thanked me for being mindful of what serves me better. Stress, inflammation, and food sensitivities were the cause of a lot of my issues. This is very common in today’s society, especially for women. Being your best when caring for others is difficult when you don’t feel your best. That was a big challenge for me.
However, this pivot in my career, becoming a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, has given me balance for my own health and wellness and has allowed me to empower my clients to take control of their health care and help them heal and restore their health for better well-being. My biggest challenge is that people don’t need to be more knowledgeable about Health Coaching, which is not currently covered by health insurance carriers. Health coaching benefits patients and will fill a need in our current healthcare system.
Our current healthcare system is broken. Patients cannot get the education, care, or follow-up they need to improve their overall health and well-being successfully. Everyone needs support, guidance, and education to live healthier lifestyles. Health Coaches are a way to assist the doctors with this. The doctors are not able to diagnose, treat and care for the patient by themselves. Health Coaches are needed in order to provide the collaborative care the patient deserves in order to receive the most beneficial outcomes that will ultimately improve their health and well-being.
Health coaches will be recognized by the American Medical Association and healthcare insurance providers as the new standard of care, and they will provide insurance coverage and reimbursement for health coaching services. This is a way to bridge the gap between proactive and reactive care practices that will ultimately improve healthcare outcomes.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
As a Certified Integrative Health and Wellness coach, I use evidence-based practices, education, guidance, support, and accountability to empower my clients to make positive behavioral changes in their lifestyle, nutrition, stress management, and self-care. Health is the absence of disease and physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Working with me as your Integrative Health and Wellness Coach, you will benefit from my Clinical expertise, Holistic approach, and Personalized attention. You will also have your Nurse. This sets me apart from the standard Health Coach or Life Coach. You will have the ability to benefit from my clinical expertise, assessment skills, and prognosis abilities and have access to my referral network. Health coaching is beneficial for both physical and mental health. I am passionate about addressing today’s mental health and well-being challenges as an approach to total wellness. I use evidence-based techniques and tools to help my clients cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. I also help them cultivate a positive mindset and a healthy relationship with themselves and others. My mission is to inspire and empower people to live their best lives by taking charge of their health and wellness.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for me has been defined by my ability to overcome unique challenges in my personal and professional life. I can still achieve my goals despite any barriers placed in front of me. I am a biracial woman who grew up in a non-traditional home with an unstable mom and absent father. However, I had a lot of support from my grandmother, aunt, and uncle in the home and my father’s parents, who were a great example of my aspirations. I credit all of them for their care, love, and support and for teaching me that whatever I want is there for me to take. I played all sports, all sports. I am a fanatic! The one thing I learned about myself is that I love competition. So, I put that competitive spirit into everything I did and still do today. But the competition isn’t with the opponent; it’s with myself. How far can I go? So, there are barriers because of my race and gender. I am strong and resilient and can face adversity and still achieve my goals. Believing in yourself is key! No other human is better than the other. There are many definitions of success. But, my success is defined by how I live each day. I am a caring, loving human that is selfless. I am successful because I believe in myself, care for myself, and have the morality, determination, and drive to push through the lemons life can give us at times and be resilient. That’s my definition of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.restorativehealthwellnessorlando.com
- Instagram: @Restorative_Healthandwellness
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishia-neal-r-n-nbhwc-inhc-364017b5
Image Credits
The Branded Boss Lady
